The Pattali Makkal Katchi, an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in Tamil Nadu, has decided to break ranks and form a separate alliance for the 2016 Assembly elections. This was disclosed by party founder Dr Ramadoss at a meeting in Dindigul on Friday. “The PMK will form a separate alliance for the 2016 Assembly election in Tamil Nadu. While the alliance will be led by the PMK, other parties including the constituents of the NDA are welcome to join the front,” said Dr Ramadoss.
Though PMK contested the last lok Sabha elections as a constituent of the BJP-led NDA, the alliance did not click well. The PMK won just one of the eight constituencies it contested. Dr Ramdoss was not comfortable with the alliance and expressed his displeasure by staying away from campaigning for other constituents of the alliance. He also boycotted the meetings addressed by Narendra Modi during the election campaign. It is also reported that the PMK founder got furious following the BJP ignoring Anbumani during the formation of the Council of Ministers.
“Dr Ramadoss has made it clear that the PMK would contest the 2016 assembly election with Anbumani as the party’s chief ministerial candidate. Parties supporting Dr Anbumani as the Chief Minister of the State are welcome to join the alliance led by the PMK,” a source close to Dr Ramdosstold The Pioneer.
GK Mani, president, PMK, said on Friday that the 2016 Assembly election would see the party leading an alliance in the State. The PMK and the MDMK led by Vaiko has taken diametrically opposite views from that of the BJP on various issues including the remission of the life term of the Rajiv Gandhi assassins as well as in the invitation extended to Mahinda Rajapaksa for the swearing in ceremony of the Modi Government.